Machine for blocking hats



E. F. cRAwLl-:Y

MACHINE FOR BLOCKING HATS Aug, 3, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Il. I12:?

III f q.gf/2E Filed Dec. 28, 1954 .IIIIIIIII IIIVIIL. M

Aug- 3, 1937. E. F. CRAWLEY 2,085,579

MACHINE FOR BLOCKING HATS Filed Dec.4 28, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2` Patented Aug. 3, 1937 tra? MACHINE FOR BLOCKING HATS Edwin F. Crawley, Dayton, Ky.

Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,464

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for blocking hats.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for the above stated purpose, which is designed to block hats perfectly Within a fraction of the time ordinarily required with the use of machines heretofore employed, for the purpose.

Another object is to provide a hat blocking machine which is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be maintained in service at a low operating cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hat biocking machine with a novel arrangement of heating means which serves the double purpose of maintaining the mold or shape in use at proper pressing temperature, and of maintaining in a tempered condition all other molds or shapes that must be interchanged therewith during use of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for the above stated purpose, the installation and servicing of which may be accomplished with a minimum of labor and expense.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in Which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevational View of the machine of the invention part ofthe casing or cabinet thereof being broken away to show the interior.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view-showing a shelf or support for maintaining interchangeable shapes or molds in a tempered condition within the cabinet of the machine, preparatory for use Within the steam chest or heating compartment 5.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of a modification showing a nest of shapes for hats of different sizes.

The device of the invention comprises a case or cabinet 6, the upper portion of which has hingedly mounted thereon at 8 a tilting table I. While the table is tiltable by preference, it is to be understood that the table may be movable relatively to the cabinet in a vertical plane, if desired. The upper portion of the cabinet l is constituted of a box-like member 9 which furnishes a steam chest or compartment such as 5, for a heating fluid, the chest `or box :9 having mounted upon its upper edge a plate or support I0 which provides a mounting for the inverted cup-.like shape or mold I2. As is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the interior of the shape I 2 has the configuration of a hat, and at the upper portion of the shape there is provided a rimpressing flange or extension I3. The flange I3 rests upon the support Ill and, with the cup-like portion I2, forms .a closure for the heating compartment 5. The heating compartment may be supplied with steam or other suitable heating y fluid by means of one or more pipes or tubes iii. Steam or heating fluid entering the chest by way of the pipe I4 Will obviously heat the mold I 2, and said fluid may be discharged either continuously or periodically from the chest by Way of a discharge passage i5 which leads to a heating fluid return pipe I6.

It is noteworthy that the pipes ifi and i6, which preferably are substantially vertical, not only provide a frame for the cabinet 6, a support for the chest 9, and means for conveying heating fluid to the chest, but they also furnish a means of heating the interior of the cabinet 6 in which are stored one or more interchangeable shapes or molds |20, which are adapted to be substituted for the shape i2 as hats oi' different sizes and shapes are to be pressed during the use of the machine. In order to maintain the additional shapes or molds |28 in a tempered condition and in readiness for placement within the chest 9, the vertical fluid conveying pipes ill are provided With ttings I'l adapted to support a series of branch pipes or conduits I8 extended into the cabinet interior and curved, as illustrated by Fig. 4, or otherwise shaped, to support the shapes or molds preferably in a substantially horizontal position. The bend I9 of the shelf or support thereby provided by the branch pipe, may be braced by means of a lug or extension 2) of a bracket 2l which may be fixed to the cabinet or to the chest 9 in any suitable manner, such as by means of rivets, bolts or screws 22. From the foregoing it will be understood that a definite portion of the steam or heating fluid transmitted to the chest 9 by the main supply pipes Iii, will be diverted into the branches i8 for maintaining the stored shapes or molds in a tempered condi.- tion so as to keep them prepared for replacing the shape or mold I 2 of the heating compartment. The cabinet 6 may be provided with one or more doors 23 which maybe hinged or otherwise movably mounted upon the cabinet, as indicated at 24.

As will be understood, it is immaterial whether the heating fluid enters the chest through `the pipe I 4,'or the pipes I6, for in either case the chest and the shelf members I8 will receive the -or pressure-applying element 30.

required amount of heat. The pipe I6 shown in Fig. l may connect directly with the chest 9, or it may connect with a block such as 25 mounted upon a side of the chest, which block contains the bore or passage I5 and a communicative internally threaded bore 26 for reception of the upper threaded end of the pipe I6. The upper ends of pipes I4 and I5 may be placed in iiuidtransmitting relationship with the chest in any suitable manner, the manner illustrated being only exemplary of one such construction.

As stated before, the table 1 is adapted to be moved relative to the cabinet and the mold or shape I2, preferably by the hinging a bracket 21 of the table onto a hinge structure carried by the cabinet or some stationary part of the cabinet. That portion of the table 1 which overhangs the chest 9 is provided with a depending box-like structure 28 which provides a means for mounting a flexible and resilient diaphragm 29 preferably of rubber or other suitable substance, which diaphragm carries a depending bulb, sack, The element 39, in the operative position, depends into the interior of the shape or mold I2, and is adapted to be expanded therein for pressing the crown of a hat placed within the shape or mold. The expanding action of the bulb or sack 39, is aC- complished by injecting fluid, under pressure, into the fluid chamber 28 through the medium of a pipe 3|,*the lower end 32 of which is in fluid cemmunicating relationship with the chamber 23. When fluid is pumped through the pipe 3| and into the chamber 28, the diaphragm 29 is forced kdownwardly upon the rim of a hat supported by the shape I2, While at the same time the bulb or pressure element 3l) expands within the hat, thereby to press both the crown and the rim of the hat so long as the fluid pressure is permitted to remain within the chamber 28 and above the diap-hragm 29. Both the diaphragm and the bulb or sack may be constructed of an elastic material Asuch as rubber or of any other flexible material which will conform with the shape of the mold I2 when pressure is applied thereto in the manner above stated.

The characters 33 and 34 indicate, respectively, a gasket andv a reinforcing peripheral frame, bolted to the Walls of chamber' 28 to preclude leakage of fluid from the chamber. It is to be understood that the shapes such as I2 are constructed of rigid material, for example, aluminum, or any other proper substance that will withstand high pressures and temperatures.

The table 1 is adapted to carry a fractional I-I. P, motor 35 which has its armature shaft 35 operatively connected to any suitable type of f pump 31 which Will function in the manner to be described. Preferably, though not necessarily,

the connections made between the motor shaft and the shaft of pump 31 may be by means of a iiexible coupling 38. Both the motor and the pump are fixed relative to the table. The intake 39 of the pump has connected thereto a pipe 49 which includes a riser 4| that extends downwardly to an extent sufcient for the removal of vwater or other fluid" from a fluid storage'reser- VVoir 42.

preclude the pumped fluid from backing up from the chamber 28 when the motor and pump are rendered idle subsequent to a pumping of fluid under pressure into the fluid chamber 28 and the bulb or element 3i) associated therewith. The iiuid pressure within the fluid chamber 2S is adapted to be relieved by means of a valve 41 connected with a fluid return pipe 48 which has its one end |59 in communication with the interior of chamber 23. The pipe 43 has its opposite end 55 in fluid communication with the reservoir 42 as shown. In the embodiment shown the valve 41 is provided with a leak passage (not shown) Whereby the pressure of fluid Within the chamber 28 may be relieved gradually. The valve 41 may also be provided with a control means or handle 5I for quickly and fully opening the valve 41 so as to provide for instant release of the fluid pressure within the chamber 28. It is to be understood that the valve 41 may be of any apit proved type,l either manually or automatically operated, if desired, and that it may be disposed at any convenient location in the fluid return passage me-ans between the chamber 28 and the storage reservoir 42.

While the device operates properly with the end 49 of pipe 45 terminating above the plane of the diaphragm 29 as shown, it is to be understood that said pipe end may be so located and extended as to reach into the bulb or sack 3D, to substantially .c

the bottom thereof. In either case, however, fluid under pressure in the chamber 28 will leave said chamber and return to the storage reservoir, through the fluid return pipe 48, when uid pressure in the chamber 28 is relieved by means of the valve lll. The reservoir 42 may be provided with filler and drain plugs such as SI1 and 6I, respectively.

Tlie characters 52 indicate brackets cr keepers secured to the cabinet or a stationary part thereof, the brackets being provided with any suitable kind of locking or latching means to be manipulated by a handle |53 for disposing the fluid chamber 28 andv its associated diaphragm 29 in tightly abutting relationship with the upper face or edge 83 of the steam chest. In the construction illustrated, the locking or latching means may comprise a pair of bolts 54 slidable in a cross head 55 carried by the forward end of the table 1, said bolts being connected to the lever or handle |53 by means of links 65 or the like for retracting or advancing the bolts relative to the aligned -apertures 56 formed in the brackets 52. The lever or handle |53 may be pivoted on the cross head as shown'at 51.

From the foregoing it will be understood that retraction of the bolts 54 by means of the lever |53 will effect a disconnection of the pressure head 28-29-30 from vthe chest 9, thereby to permit tilting of the table 1 bodily in a counterclock-wise direction about the pivots 8. When the table is in the tilted position, the hat or article to be pressed or blocked may be applied or removed from the form-giving shape or mold I2.

` When a hat blocking operation is to be performed the proper shape or mold I2 is applied to the support I0 of the steam chest, and the hat is placed Within and upon the mold or shape in an inverted position.l Then the table is tilted in a clock-wise direction to dispose the pressing 'headf'over and upon" the steam chest with the bulb or sack 30 disposed Within the crown of the hat.. After manipulating the lever |53 to lock the chest and'pressure head'together, the motor 35 is energized to actuate the pump 31, thereby to suck Water through the riser 4l and displace it under pressure, into the fluid pressure chamber 28, the valve d1 being closed at thistime. When the fluid under pressure enters the chamloer 28 it expands the bulb or sack 3l) and forces the diaphragm 29 downwardly against the rim of the hat, therebyto. place the outersurfaces of the hat in forceful Contact with the flange i3 of shape l2, and with the interior of the shape which gives form to the crown of the hat. When the iuid pressure within the chamber 28 reaches a pre-determined value as shown by an indicator 58, the valve ll may be permitted either to gradually relieve the uid pressure of the chamber 28 or the operator may actuate the lever 5I for the purpose of instant fluid pressure relief. It will be understood that the elements d2, M, dii, 31, 3l, 28 and d8 constitute a closed fluid system, wherein the same uid is transferred repeatedly from the storage reservoir 42 'to the fluid pressure chamber Eil, and vice versa. The closed system referred to has the advantage of providing for cheap operating cost, and it also makes possible the mounting of the entire fluid pressure system upon the table of the machine. The construction avoids the use ofexible piping to an inclependent sourceof fluid pressure, and it will sel,- dorn require any servicing or replacement of parts. l

Attention is directed. particularly to the fact that the knicked or slightly cracked valve lll' serves as a meter `to measure orldetermine the proper time period for `the pressing operation. For example, if the pump 3l when operated produces a working pressure of 126 pounds in the chamber Z8, as indicated by gauge 58, that pressure will be relieved gradually through the slightly cracked valve @l until it is reduced to, say, 80 pounds. The pressure ranging from 120 pounds down to 80 pounds, exerted for the length of time` required for the reduction of the pressure through the cracked valve, is the proper pressure,A and the proper time period, for pressing the average hat. For hats of other typesthe operator may manually control the pressure release and the time period of pressure exertion, b-y meansfof the valve handle l. Since valves such as is above referred to and indicated at 41 are old in themselves, it is deemed unnecessary to ex-4 plain their construction in detail. The file cut` or scratch in the valve seat, which may be termed a leak passage, may be rendered variable or adjustable at will, if desired.

In the Fig. 5 view is shown a nest of shapes or molds which may be substituted for the shape l2. The said nest of shapes is designed to obviate the need for the preheating cabinet 6. As will be observed, the nest of shapes is constituted of a heavy master mold or shape 'l0 adapted to be placed in the position of shape l2 of Fig. 1, with the series of thin shell shapes 1l, 12 and 'I3 disposed therein. Though only three shell shapes are shown, it is to be understood that there may be as many of them as there are sizes of ordinary hats, so that hats of any size may be associated with a proper shape or form 1l, l2 or 13,` by the addition or removal of such shapes or forms. The nestable shells preferably, though not necessarily, have rim pressing flanges 14, and l, respectively, to conform with the general configuration of the master shape rim 1l. By employing the means of Fig. 5 in the Fig. 1 machine, the smaller hats may be blocked first, in which case there will be perhaps from six to nine shells stored in the master mold 10. As

the larger hats come to be blocked, the smaller shells are removed, thereby to always present a pre-heated shell in readiness foruse. The sack and diaphragm heretofore mentioned will co operate with any of the shell sizes, due to the .they areV constructed of heat-conductive material such as copper alloy, aluminum, very thin sheet steel or the like. By the use of the structure just described, it becomes unnecessary to provide means suchas I8 for maintainingthe heavy substitute molds or shapes in a tempered condition. Y

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

`What is claimed is: 1. In a hat blocking machinethe combination of a shape for supporting and imparting form to a hat, a table tiltably mounted intermediate its ends, and a flexible pressure-applying element supported upon one end of the table for movement toward and from cooperative relationship with said shape, counter-balancing means on the opposite end of the table including a fluid reservoir, means for pressure-feeding the fluid of the reservoir toI the eXible pressureapplying element for expanding said element against a hatsupported by the form-giving shape, and means for returning the fluid to the reservoir after the hat blocking operation.

`2. In a hat blocking machine, the combination of a shape for supporting and imparting form to a hat, a flexible pressure-applying sack and a tiltable table `pivoted near its middle portion and having one end supporting said sack for movement relatively toward and from. an operative position within the shape, a fluid stor age reservoir closed to atmospheric air, means. for conveying fluid from the reservoir to the sack and from the sack to the reservoir, the conveying means, the sack, and the reservoir constituting a closed fluid system wherein the same fluid is transferred repeatedly from the reservoir to the sack and vice versa, a motor and a suction pump for removing the uid from the reservoir and displacing the fluid, under pressure, into the sack, thereby to create a partial vacuum in the reservoir tending always to return the fluid to the reservoir and means for controlling said return of the fluid to the reservoir, the reservoir, the motor, and the pump being mounted upon the opposite end of the tiltable table to counterbalance the first mentioned end thereof.

3. In a hat blocking machine, the combination of a shape for supporting and imparting form to a hat, a flexible pressure-applying sack and means for moving said sack relatively toward and from an operative position within the shape, a closed uid storage' reservoir, and means for conveying fluid from the reservoir; the conveying means, the sack, and the reservoir constituting a closed fluid system wherein the same fluid is transferred repeatedly from the reservoir to the sack and vice versa, a suction pump for removing the fluid from the reservoir and displacing the fluid, under pressure, into the sack, thereby to create a'partial vacuum in the reservoir tending valways to return the fluid to the reservoir, means for controlling said return of the fluid to the reservoir, and means for applying heat to the shape.

4. In af-hat blocking machine, the combination of a shape, a heated compartment having a Wall for supporting saidk shape in an inverted position, atable movable relatively to said wall and the shape supported thereon, said table having walls providing a fluid chamber, a closure for said chamber comprising a diaphragm'having a depending bulb to lit Within the shape, a uid 'storage reservoir carried by the table and closed toy atmospheric air, means movable with the table for conveying fluid from the storage reservoir to the uid chamber and the bulb associated therewith, the conveying means, the fluid chamber and bulb, and the storage reservoir l constituting a closed fluid system wherein the same uid is transferred repeatedly from the storage reservoir! to the bulb and vice versa, a motor an-d a pump carried by the table and movable bodily therewith, said pump being connected in the fluid conveying means to displaceguid from the storage reser- -voir i-nto the. bulb under pressure, and means for controlling return of said fluid to the storage reservoir.

5. In a hat blocking machine, a shape for supporting a. `hat to be blocked, and a head for the machine comprising-a support movable relative to the shape, a' fluid pressure means including a chamber movable with the support toward and from said shape, a diaphragm arranged to form a wall of the chamber for pressing a hat rim, said diaphragm including a flexi- ,b-le vsack in fluid communication with `the pressurechambenthe ,diaphragm andy sack being movable with the support to and from an operative position relative toI theA shape, a storage reservoir closed to atmospheric airand containingv normally a quantity of liquid, fluid conveying means having one end terminating in the storage reservoir and its opposite end `terminating in the pressure chamber at a. point exteriorly `of the sack means for sucking liquid from the storage reservoir and forcing. it under pressure /into the said chamber and against the diaphragm and sack, and means for connecting the reservoir with the pressure chamber whereby to effect a vacuum-assisted return of liquid to the storage reservoir through said opposite end of the` fluid conveying means.

6. In a hat blocking machine, an elevated chest to be heated by a uid, a supporting means for the chest comprising at least one upright hollow standard having a fluid-tight connection with the chest, the interior of the standard being in uid communication with the interior of the chest for conveying a heated fluid thereto, and a shell surrounding the standard providing a compartment which is heated Whenever heat is supplied to the chest by Way of the hollow standard.

'7. The combination which comprises: an elevated chest having a fluid inlet aperture and a fluid outlet aperture, an upright tubular support for` the chest connected with the inlet aperture thereof to convey a heating uid to the interior of the chest, a second tubular support providing a leg for the support of the chest and connected in fluid communicating relationship with the outlet aperture of the chest, a series of tubular members in fluid communication with one of said tubular supports to provide shelves for supporting articles to be heated, and a shell surrounding the tubular supports and the tubular members aforesaid, to provide a compartment which is heated whenever heating fluid is supplied to the chest through one of the tubular supports.

8. In a hat blocking machine, the combination of a pair of relatively movable hat shaping elements for operation upon a hat subjected thereto, a movable table having a forward end supporting one of said shaping elements, and means Xed relative to the movable table and arranged to aid in substantially counter-balancing the weight of said table end and the shaping element supported thereby,said means comprising: a uid storage reservoir, a pipe for conveying fluid from the reservoir to that shaping element which is supported by the table, and a suction pump adapted to enforce fluid movement through the pipe from the EDWIN F. CRAWLEY. 

